Chandler, Tempe, Mesa Real Estate

SERENITY CONDOS FOR SALE AT FULTON RANCH

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 02:00:02 -0800

Serenity Condos at Fulton Ranch are beautiful condominium homes with European inspired architecture located in a gated community in Chandlers prestigious Fulton Ranch homes Find similar condos in Chandler to the Serenity Condos for Sale at Fulton Ranch Get the value of your Phoenix home or condo in today's market The Serenity condos at Fulton Ranch are some of the nicest condo homes to come on the market in Chandler in several years. The Serenity condo community is one of the last communities in the Fulton Ranch Master Planned community to be built out and the demand for the units now that more new units are coming on the market has been brisk to say the least. Serenity condos have a wonderful location in the prestigious Fulton Ranch community that has 520 lushly landscaped acres, 28 acres of lakes, flowing streams and waterfalls, and access to miles of walking and biking trails. The community is well located within a close drive to shops, restaurants, and several of the best golf courses in Chandler. Serenity Condos are Modern and Well Appointed The Gourmet Kitchens in the Serenity units are offered with Granite Slab countertops with a laminated 2 cm edge,, recessed lighting, and expansive kitchen islands in the larger units. The Luxurious Master Baths are available with a drop-in soaking tub and glass enclosed shower as well as cultured marble countertops to add a luxury touch to your private space. The units come in 2 and 3 bedroom configurations with 2 bedroom units starting at 1,350 square feet and 3 bedroom units going up to 1,890 square feet. New units now are starting at $235,000 for a 2 bedroom 1,350 square foot unit and the largest 3 bedroom unit starts at $269,000 and comes with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms in a spacious 1,890 square feet. Serenity Condos come with many Community Amenities The residents of Serenity condos enjoy amenities right outside of their front door not often found in a quaint community of 185 homes. Live in the gated Serenity condo community and enjoy a heated resort-style pool, hot tub, and two ramadas with gas grills. The fitness center offers free weights, fitness equipment, treadmills and several TV's. For playtime or relaxing there are billiards, a fireplace and full kitchen amenities. Why call Chandler, Arizona home The Chandler, Arizona community continues to plan smartly for steady growth and maintaining it's ranking as one of the best cities to live in the Phoenix area. Chandler continues to grow it's employment base of 30,000+ jobs with local employers like Wells Fargo, Intel, Microchip, Orbital, Bank of America, Paypal and the list continues to grow. Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) is one of the fastest growing school districts in the State of Arizona and continues to rank several of it's schools in the Top ten schools in the State in each grade class. CUSD maintains an "A" grade for the district with the Arizona Department of Education and each year it's students are accepted to some of the top colleges in the country proving that a Chandler Unified School District education continues to be a solid investment for parents. Serenity condos are minutes away from city recreational areas and two world-class championship golf courses. The condos are less than one mile from Chandler's Ocotillo Golf Resort, a championship Troon Golf course, and the same distance in the other direction is Bear Creek Golf Course, a Nicklaus Design Group championship course. Would you like to know how much your Chandler, Arizona home or condo is worth? There are a number of sites on the internet that will give you a value for your home by "estimating" it's worth based on public records that are not routinely updated. The "estimates" try to produce a value for your home that usually is not accurate and can cause confusion in the market for both buyers and sellers. Our real estate team all live in the Chandler and Ocotillo area which means we know the community better than anyone not local to the market. Let us prepare a free competitive market analysis for you to give you a solid number to let you know what your home is worth and what you can expect if you were to sell. What does that means for you? Well, we price our homes right and because of this our seller's homes sell fast and for full value when we handle the transaction. Our property analysis for your home is based on data that is updated daily so we can give you accurate information. Please visit our website to order your free property analysis for your Chandler or Phoenix home or condo. Conduct Property searches using data updated daily If you would like to have more information on Chandler area homes or condos please visit our website to learn more about why we love to call Chandler home. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

HALLOWEEN EVENTS IN PHOENIX, AZ FOR 2015

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 04:00:03 -0700

There are plenty of family-friendly events being held around the Valley over the next two weeks so be sure to get out and have some fun!Halloween Events in Phoenix, AZ for 2015 There are several events being held around the Phoenix area this weekend and next that come around this time of year each year and are not to be missed. The weather has been cooling down making it very nice to be outside enjoying the fantastic winter weather in Arizona. Keep our Halloween events in Phoenix list handy and be sure to share the information with friends and family so we can show up and support those that take the time to put on fun local events for all to enjoy. Happy Halloween everybody!The Great Pumpkin Festival at the Desert Botanical GardenThis fall tradition put on each year by the good folks at the Desert Botanical Garden is back for another year of family fun. Bring the kiddos and take a hayride out to the Garden’s Pumpkin Patch where kids 12 and under can find their perfect pumpkin. Additional activities for the kids include a hay-bale maze, a petting zoo with farm animals, carnival style games and live music for all. WHEN: Friday, October 23rd – Sunday, October 25th, 2015 WHERE: Desert Botanical Garden, PhoenixHalloween Balloon SpectacularBring the whole family to this event to see over 20 hot air balloons on display, kids can play in the kids zone, go through the haunted house, enjoy fireworks and be treated to 4,000 pounds of candy that will be passed out to trick or treaters. WHEN: Friday, October 23rd & Saturday, October 24th, 5 – 9 p.m. each day WHERE: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, ScottsdaleHowl-O-WeenVisit the Phoenix Zoo for the Howl-O-Ween event for the whole family. There will be Merry events for the little ones and Scary events for bigger kids and adults. For the little ones there will be Camel rides, a popular Character Meet & Greet event, a Mad Science Laboratory, Magic show, and a Monster Mash Dance Party. WHEN: Friday, October 23rd & Saturday, October 24th, 6:30 – 10 p.m. each day WHERE: Phoenix ZooTempe’s Halloween CarnivalThis annual Tempe event brings out folks from all across Tempe and the surrounding areas. It is quite a good time for families and features things to do like carnival games, face painting, live music, train rides, food booths, and a toddler friendly play area. Dress up to compete in the Halloween costume contest. The event is free to attend and tickets for food and game booths can be purchased for $.25 cents per piece.WHEN: Saturday, October 24th, 5 – 9 p.m. WHERE: Tempe Kiwanis ParkZombie Walk 7This yearly event now makes it’s home in Downtown's Heritage and Science Park and attracts nearly 20,000 visitors to the event each year. The family-friendly event features a Little Zombies zone, a Goodwill Zombification Zone, a Costume contest, and the main event being the 1.5 mile Zombie walk. WHEN: Saturday, October 24th , 2-11 p.m. WHERE: Heritage & Science Park, Downtown PhoenixChandler Halloween SpooktacularThis fun family event grows bigger every year with carnival style games, kids activities, costume contest, trunk or treat and a Haunted House. Enjoy face painting, pumpkin bowling, cupcake walks and pumpkin painting that the whole family can enjoy. The event is free to attend and snacks and drinks will be available for sale at the event.WHEN: Friday, October 30th, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Downtown Library Plaza, ChandlerHalloween Monster BashIf you thought the Peoria Sports Complex was only for Spring Training Baseball, well think again. Bring the family out for this community sponsored family event. Enjoy carnival games, interactive games, a rock wall, make and take crafts, a scare walk, live entertainment and much more. WHEN: Friday, October 30th, 5 – 9 p.m. WHERE: Peoria Sports Complex on 83rd Ave near Bell Rd. Halloween in the HillsThe town of Fountain Hills will shut down the entire Ave of the Fountains for an evening of family fun and play. There will be carnival games, costume contests, trick or treating, and bounce houses for the little ones. The fountain area provides a beautiful backdrop to enjoy what should be a fun and safe family evening. WHEN: Saturday, October 31st, 4 – 8 p.m. WHERE: Fountain Hills, Avenue of the FountainsPhoenix Haunted Half Marathon, 5K and Kids Fun RunThis new event to the Phoenix area should be both athletic and fun at the same time. Start the Half Marathon race with the Headless Horseman and Jack O’ Lantern and make your way through the course with Spook Zones such as Tunnel of Terror and Ghostly Graveyard along the way. At the end of the race enjoy Donuts on a Noose and the Trick or Treat tent. The half marathon starts at 7 am, the 5K at 7:45 am and the Kids run starts at 10:30 a.m. so bring the whole family out for an active day of play. WHEN: Saturday, October 31st WHERE: Crossroads Towne Center, 3757 S Gilbert Rd, GilbertHave a safe and Happy Halloween! Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

OCOTILLO HOME FOR SALE IN SOUTH CHANDLER

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 03:14:45 -0700

Search current inventory of Ocotillo Homes for Sale Listing Details Ocotillo Home for Sale in Chandler 3904 S Hollyhock Pl, Chandler, Arizona 85248Price: $449,000Bedrooms: 5Bathrooms: 3Square footage: 3,000 Call Greg Agent at 602 885-2075 to see if this property is still available and arrange a showing You will love the Home's Location close to all of the many South Chandler amenities Wonderful opportunity to own a turn-key remodeled home in the picturesque Ocotillo area of South Chandler. With over $100K in upgrades both inside and out this home features beautiful wood floors, Italian oversized tile and a spacious family room with custom designed built in wood niche and fireplace. The master bedroom features a gorgeous master bath remodeled with designer materials along with a large balcony perfect for taking in our one of a kind Arizona sunsets. The large cul de sac lot brings a large backyard that has been remodeled in to an Entertainers outside Oasis. There is a custom built in BBQ and an outdoor fireplace that complements the pebbletec Pool. The spacious yard has mature landscaping with an RV gate and a covered spot for a boat, 3rd car or any other toys that you may have. The home is in a quiet neighborhood close to many of the lakes found in the Ocotillo area and the Ocotillo Golf course just a couple of miles away. Amazing Gourmet Kitchen Perfect for EntertainingThere is plenty of space in this remodeled kitchen where your guests will spend hours relaxing and enjoying great company among friends. The kitchen features granite countertops, upgraded cabinets, a free standing island, and new appliances. There is plenty of counter space to spread out for the family everyday or for your dinner guests when you are the party host for the next gathering. Seeing is believing so have a look at the many upgrades that come with this home. More details and photos for this property can be found here 3904 S Hollyhock Place Ocotillo area of Chandler, ArizonaThe Ocotillo area is one of the most desirable areas of Chandler to live. One of the reasons is that the Ocotillo area is within close proximity to some of the best amenities the Chandler area has to offer. The Ocotillo area is often named as one of the most beautiful areas of Chandler with 162 acres of interconnected lakes and water features for the enjoyment of the residents. Those who live in the Ocotillo area can enjoy resident pricing on golf at the Ocotillo Golf resort. The local upscale health club The Village at Ocotillo is a favorite for active adults and families. The Chandler Hamilton Library and Hamilton Aquatic Center are in the area as well as the Snedigar Sports complex where many of the Youth Sports leagues operate from. Chandler Unified School District has many of their "A" rated schools in the Ocotillo area in Elementary and High School with the Junior High just a stones throw from the northern edge of Ocotillo. Major employers in the Ocotillo area include Intel, Avnet, Microchip, Wells Fargo and Paypal. Find Similar Homes in Chandler Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

1161 E Shannon St, Springtree in Gilbert, Arizona 85295

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 08:15:58 -0700

Drive up to this spacious oh-so livable home in one of Gilbert’s most family-friendly communities. The home was voted Best Home on the Gilbert Homes Tour for March, 2015 and there are several reasons why. This home has 5 Bedrooms and 3 Full Bathrooms with a large loft upstairs. The upstairs master bedroom has plentiful natural light and comes with a spacious master bath area. Downstairs has lots of room for entertaining friends and family in the large formal dining room and dining area. After dinner stroll over to the adjoining family room to watch the game and enjoy well deserved family time. There are 2 large bedrooms and 1 full bath downstairs and the entire home is wired for surround sound. There are Gorgeous Granite counter tops in the Kitchen right next to upgraded lighting and plenty of cabinets. The Washer and Dryer are located conveniently in a separate room with plenty of storage space. There is a 3 car garage with a tandem two car area in the third car bay. The backyard looks like a park like setting with plenty of greenery for the kids to play and right next to your own large gated pool. The RV gate on the side of the home gives you plenty of room to store your toys. Located at 1161 E Shannon St, Springtree in Gilbert near Ray Road and Lindsay Road. Conveniently located near shops, restaurants, groceries and several parks in the Gilbert area. 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 3 car garage in a spacious 3,421 square feet of family friendly living.To view this home on our website CLICK HERETo get mortgage pre-approved to buy this home CLICK HERE For more information on this home and others in the Gilbert, Arizona real estate market, please contact the Ephrem Jando team at RE/Max Solutions Gilbert team at 480 442-2390. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Bike Month 2015 with Weekend Community Bike Rides in Tempe and Mesa

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:00:01 -0700

The cities of Mesa and Tempe, Arizona are both holding community bike rides this weekend to celebrate bike month by encouraging local residents to get outside and bike more in the community and even consider biking to work on some days when that is a possibility. Attendance is expected to be strong at each event and participants from all over the Phoenix area are encouraged to attend.Tour de TempeThe City of Tempe is celebrating Bike Month 2015 in April with it's 19th annual Tour de Tempe community bike ride on Sunday April 12th and the 23rd annual Bike to Work Day on Wednesday April 15th.The Tour de Tempe community bike ride will be held at Kiwanis Park from 7:30 am - 11:00 a.m. which is located off of Guadalupe Rd between Rural Rd and Kyrene Rd. The meeting point is the west parking lot just north of Guadalupe just across from the batting cages. More than 1,000 riders are expected to attend this FREE 10-mile bike event, including Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell and members of the Tempe City Council. Registration starts at 7:30 am and the ride starts at 9 amLight breakfast refreshments and coffee will be provided by event sponsors Wildflower Bread Company, Whole Foods, Back East Bagels and Starbucks. Participants need to bring their own water. Free t-shirts will be provided to the first 1,000 riders so get there early to grab yours.For more event information visit the following website:Tour de Tempe Community Bike Ride El Tour de MesaSaturday April 11th marks the 25th edition of the City of Mesa's annual bicycle event. The event that is put on by Holualoa Companies bills itself as the areas premier Perimeter Bicycling event. The nice thing about the event this year is that there are four separate rides on Saturday all at different distances to accommodate the different skill levels of rider participants.The long "main event" is a 72-mile bike ride that starts at 6:15 a.m. in Downtown Mesa on Center Street. There is a shorter 28-mile ride which starts at 8:15 am at Red Mountain Ranch Elementary School and will finish in Downtown Mesa.The "fun rides" are two rides of either 11 miles or 6 miles and they are for the whole family. They start and finish in Downtown Mesa so riders can join the post race fun.After the race join the fun in Downtown Mesa at Cyclomesa where there will be activities for the whole family including a zip line, rock wall, BMX Freestyle Show, and a Kids Zone. For the adults in attendance there will be a Beer garden, vendors with local items for sale, and food trucks for lunch.Come out and enjoy the family fun and get some exercise at the same time. Both events should be well attended and supported by the local community.For more event information visit the following websiteEl Tour de Mesa Bicycling event Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Easter Egg Hunts in the Phoenix area this Weekend

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 01:04:22 -0700

With Easter weekend upon us parents around the city will be looking for a place to bring their kids where the little ones can meet the Easter Bunny and hunt for Easter eggs. As one would expect there are many such events around the city this weekend and we wanted to share a list of Free events in the East Valley area of Phoenix. Look closely because the events start today in Mesa with more scheduled over the weekend. Easter Egg hunts on Friday Bring the family to the Mesa Arts Center on Friday at 11 am where the Downtown Mesa Association will have 30,000 Easter eggs hidden both at the Mesa Arts Center and then along Main street in Mesa. The eggs will be filled with candy, toys, gift certificates, coupons and prizes to Downtown Mesa businesses. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance so bring your camera for a photo-op. There will also be face-painting and yummy snow-cones available for the little ones to enjoy.For more information, please visit the following event website: Downtown Mesa Easter Egg Hunt There is also an event on Friday evening at the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa called the Dino Egg Hunt. The museum will have a cart with Dinosaur eggs and childrens craft activities from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.. There is a cost for the event so please check the website for the museum to receive accurate information. Easter Egg hunts on Saturday Join the Chandler Family Easter Celebration on Saturday April 4th starting at 9 am at the Snedigar Sportsplex located off of Alma School Rd in the City of Chandler. There will be stage entertainment from local school groups and the Easter egg hunts will begin at 10:30 a.m. when the entertainment has finished. The “egg scrambles” will be on 4 different fields separated by the child’s age and the organizers ask that kids take a maximum of 4 eggs each so all kids have an opportunity to enjoy the event. For more information please visit the following event website:Chandler Easter Egg hunt There are also Easter egg hunts that come with a cost on Saturday and one is at Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek and another is at Vertuccio Farms in Mesa. There is also an EGGstravaganda event on Saturday at SanTan Mountain Regional Park in Queen Creek that starts at 9 am. The costs and starting times vary by event so be sure to check the websites of each of those businesses for more updated information. Easter Egg hunts on Sunday On Sunday, Discovery Community Church is holding its “Easter at the Park” event at Discovery Park on SanTan Village Parkway and Pecos Rd in Gilbert. The park is located just south of the san tan portion of the 202 freeway and the park will be filled with families with their kids celebrating the Easter holiday. The schedule of events include a Pancake breakfast at 9 am where there will also be fresh fruit and coffee. At 10 am there will be an outdoor Easter Service in the Park followed at 11 am by the Easter egg hunt, carnival and games for the kids. There will also be face painting, coloring and many kids and family activities. For more information please visit the following event website: Easter at the Park in Gilbert Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Tempe Festival of the Arts and Chandler Jazz Festival Highlight Major Events in Phoenix this Weekend

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 01:45:18 -0700

Local Phoenix residents and folks visiting from out of town will have many event choices to choose from if you find yourself in our midst this weekend. Spring in Phoenix is a great time to be here as there is always something fun happening in different communities around town every weekend in spring time. This weekend there are two signature community events that are worth the visit if you are looking for something to do.Tempe Festival of the Arts This weekend will mark the 38th annual spring event known as the Tempe Festival of the Arts. The festival will be held this weekend from Friday March 27th – Sunday March 29th in the Downtown Tempe area in the Mill Avenue District. The event will be held rain or shine and is always a huge draw for the city with more than 200,000 folks expected to attend over the events three days. Admission to the festival is free and because of the large number of folks expected to attend the event it is recommended to park at one of the light rail park and ride lots and take the light rail in to the Mill Ave district.If you plan to attend the event you are in luck because there will be several live entertainment areas set up to keep guests entertained and in high spirits while they visit the festival. There will also be street performers, food and beverage vendors, entertainment booths and sponsor exhibits to make the event more fun. There will also be a wine tasting area staffed by different Arizona Wineries where one can taste wine by the glass and then make a purchase by the bottle or the case. For beer lovers you are covered too with the Art of Beer area just for you to taste beers from several of Arizona’s local craft beer makers. There will be something for everyone this weekend at the Tempe Festival of the Arts so don’t miss it if you are in the Tempe area. For more information visit the events website at Tempe Festival of the ArtsChandler Jazz FestivalThis weekend marks the 16th annual Chandler Jazz Festival held in Downtown Chandler at Dr. AJ Chandler Park. The event is on Friday evening and on Saturday. At the event you can expect to be entertained by several world class Jazz musicians playing their brand of sweet Jazz for the event goers in attendance.On Friday the event is scheduled to be held from 4:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. and the headliner that night is Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns playing at 8 p.m. Saturday is scheduled for Noon – 9:30 p.m. and the headliner tomorrow is the Sean Jones Quartet scheduled to play at 8 p.m. Parking is free on the streets around the venue but there is also free covered parking in the lots near the downtown library which is where we recommend to park for the event.Remember to bring a blanket or a lawn chair to sit on if you plan to attend this Free event. And after the show remember to stop by one or more of the local restaurants and bars to grab a bite to eat or a cold drink.For more information on the event visit the event website here: Chandler Jazz Festival This article is written by Stephen Khan. Stephen is a mortgage loan officer based in the Phoenix, Arizona area and in addition to his loan officer duties he enjoys writing about mortgage related topics that help home buyers better prepare themselves to buy a home. For more information on mortgage programs and the entire loan process you can visit Stephens’s home mortgage website for more information or to contact Stephen directly. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Plan a Great Night Out for St. Patrick's Day in the Phoenix area

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 05:00:00 -0700

Yes it's that green beer time of year again as St. Patrick's Day rolls through town with Irish songs, beer and the tallest Irish tales this side of the Grand Canyon. If you need a place to celebrate on Tuesday March 17th and you live in the East Valley cities of Chandler, Tempe or Mesa Arizona look through our list for a local spot to have fun and a few drinks with friends.Nabers 625 N 54th St. Chandler, AZ 85226 Tel: 480 705-0288Nabers is a great local spot to grab some grub and a good time with friends. The food is above average and was described by the Arizona Republic Newspaper as follows: "Nabers lives up to its name by churning out stellar homemade dishes that are more meticulously crafted than they need to be. However, diners will reap the scrumptious benefits of the above-and-beyond efforts". They will be offering some St. Patricks Day specials so stop by for drinks and great food this week on Tuesday.Fibber Magee's 1989 W Elliot Rd Chandler, AZ 85224 Tel: 480 722-9434 St. Patricks day at Fibber Magees is always a great time for those that come to this Chandler Irish Bar fixture. This year there will be live music, several promotions and giveaways, and great food in what is being called the East Valley's biggest St. Patricks Day Block Party. Enjoy Fibber Magees all day menu which includes Fish & Chips, Corned Beef & Cabbage, and Shepherds Pie. Get there early as they will certainly be busy on the big day. Rula Bula Irish Pub 401 E Mill AveTempe, AZ Tel: 480 925-9500 They will be offering drink specials, live music with Trevor Jones, Mike Mercier, Irish Pipers, Bracken School of Dance Irish Step Dancers and the Jeff Hunt Band and tasty food all day long. Promotions and giveaways will be on-going and the full Rula Bula menu will be offered all day at lunch prices. Spend the day with friends at Rula Bula.R.T. O'Sullivans1610 S Stapley DriveMesa, AZTel: 480 398-3540Celebrate St.Patricks Day at one of Arizona's most popular Sports bars with a special food menu, drink specials and live entertainment. Enjoy Bag Pipers, Irish Step Dancers and $5 Monster Green Beers together with Corned Beef & Cabbage, Shepherds Pie and Fish & Chips offered all day long. Bring your friends for a great St. Patricks Day celebration. For those new to the Chandler, Tempe or Mesa Arizona area and you would like to learn more about these cities visit our website to read our Community profiles on each of these cities. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Mortgage Rates edge up following a strong February Jobs Report

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 06:50:47 -0700

The Labor Department on Friday issued it’s monthly non-farm jobs report with another strong report showing strength taking hold in the economy. Employers added 295,000 workers in February which also caused the unemployment rate to drop. The data was positive in almost every area, except for wage growth which still has remained stubbornly steady. Analysts had forecasted muted results due to unusually snowy weather in the Midwest and northeast. But employers instead continued their hiring momentum of the previous three months and hired at a strong clip. The unemployment rate fell to 5.5% which is down from 5.7% in January which is the lowest since 2008. Mortgage rates responded predictably by rising about an eighth of a percentage point on the news. Mortgage interest rates are still near their all-time lows so those who didn’t refinance in the past month can still take advantage of low mortgage rates. However the lows that we have seen since the beginning of the year may be gone for good and many say the strong economic news may lead the Fed to increase rates in June. The mortgage rate on a Conventional 30 year fixed rate loan rose to 3.875% while on a 15 year fixed rate loan the rate rose to 3.125%. One year ago that same 30 year fixed rate was at 4.5%. Mortgage lenders have seen record loan applications mostly for refinance loans since the start of the year due to record low mortgage rates. Homeowners, some who obtained their mortgage only a year ago have been able to take advantage of the low rates to lower their mortgage rate and save money on their monthly payment. The government in January lowered the mortgage insurance premiums on FHA loans in January which also served to stimulate activity on FHA streamline refinance loans. This together with rates hovering near all-time lows for much of January and February have filled the pipelines of mortgage lenders across the country. For more information on mortgage programs, mortgage rates, and tips on buying a home visit our comprehensive mortgage lending resource website. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Arizona FHA Lender explains the Four Pillars of an FHA Pre-approval

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 03:00:01 -0800

Arizona FHA lender explains what is involved for a borrower to qualify for an FHA pre-approval For first time home buyers and even repeat home buyers it is always helpful to know what items in a borrowers loan file are most important when applying for a mortgage pre-approval. The answer is there are several items in a borrowers loan file that are reviewed when a pre-approval application is submitted, however we are able to narrow that down to focus on four particular factors that mortgage underwriters place the highest importance on when reviewing an application. In order to purchase a home with an FHA mortgage loan, mortgage lenders follow the guidelines set forth by FHA as well as any additional guidelines that may be specific to their company. It is important for borrowers to understand that guidelines often change depending on what is happening in the housing and financial markets. Following the housing and financial crisis in 2008 many banks and mortgage lenders tightened credit in response to what was happening in the housing and financial markets. That resulted in credit score and income requirements being tightened and underwriting of borrowers files being more stringent. Read more about FHA loans here Now we find that the housing market is returning back to normal and banks are loosening the credit and income requirements on mortgage loans thus opening the door for more people to qualify and purchase a home. When applying for a mortgage pre-approval borrowers should know ahead of time that underwriters look at a range of items in a borrowers file but they pay close attention to the following four items. Borrowers who have been planning their home purchase at least one year before they actually buy should be financially prepared to answer these four questions: Credit Borrowers hoping to obtain an FHA loan for their home purchase should set a goal of having a credit score of 640 or higher. In some cases lenders can go as low as 600 on a credit score but most borrowers should try to have their credit scores above the 640 level when they apply for an FHA mortgage loan. Income Lenders like to see that a borrower has been at their job for two years or more, and the income is stable with a reasonable probability of continuing on in to the foreseeable future. Lenders ideally would also like to see that income over time has been increasing, rather than decreasing. Debt to Income Ratio For FHA loans, lenders like for the borrowers debt to income ratio (DTI) to be 41% or less with a borrowers long term debt trending down in relation to income. For the year leading up to your home purchase, try to minimize taking on any large debt that might adversely affect your DTI ratio. For example, if you need to replace a car, try buying a used car with a smaller monthly payment rather than a new car that will come with a higher payment. Down Payment Underwriters like to see borrowers who have demonstrated a level of financial responsibility leading up to their home purchase. Borrowers who have been able to save the FHA required 3.5% towards a down payment have shown that they can reign in their spending in order to put money aside for their family’s financial future. Keep in mind that borrowers buying a home must pay at closing for the down payment along with closing costs and prepaid items such as prepaid interest, taxes and insurance. On a $100,000 home purchase for example, the FHA 3.5% down payment would be $3,500 plus closing costs + prepaids of about $2,500 for a total of about $6,000 the borrower needs to come up with to get in to that home. Anything potential borrowers can do to have their financial house in the best possible order when their mortgage application is submitted is making it that much easier for the underwriter to approve their application. Consult with your Arizona FHA lender and mortgage loan officer well ahead of applying for a mortgage so your financials are in the best shape that they can be. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

5 Tips to Know You Are Ready to Buy a Home

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 03:00:01 -0800

How does a first time home buyer know when they are ready to buy a home? In today’s mortgage market there are clearly defined rules of what a borrower needs to qualify for a home which is much different from the housing industry in the early 2,000’s. In the points below we will share just what a first time home buyer needs to do to purchase their first home. 1. You have built your Credit score over 640: some mortgage programs have minimum credit score guidelines that require a FICO score over 640. First time home buyers should start early in knowing their credit score and doing what it takes to clean up any bad credit and “polish” the good credit so one’s credit score is over 640 when you are ready to buy a home. 2. You have been at your job for more than two years and you can provide proof of income for that period of time. Proof of a borrower’s income can come in the form of paystubs for the most recent two pay periods and W-2 forms for the most recent two years. 3. You have saved at least 3.5% of the Purchase price as your down payment. FHA loans require a minimum down payment of 3.5% while conventional loans require at least a 5% down payment. 4. You are Pre-Approved for a home mortgage with a local mortgage lender. All home buyers need to be pre-approved for a home mortgage before they can get serious about buying a home. Realtors will require a borrower to have a pre-approval letter in hand before they will take a borrower out to look at homes. 5. You have Researched Neighborhoods and you know where you want to live. Check out schools, property taxes, crime statistics, and even future development plans to get a feel for what is happening in cities that you like. Buying in a good school district is a good strategy to buying a home that will maintain its property value. #realestate If you like this article please consider sharing it socially Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

3 Top Mistakes of First Time Homebuyers

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 03:00:00 -0800

Purchasing one's first home is no small task that requires thoughtful planning and financial discipline leading up to one's actual purchase. For first time homebuyers having never gone through the home buying process it is understandably easy to make a mistake that could prove costly down the road for a family. In this article we try to point out three of the top mistakes we find that first time homebuyers make that can be prevented by following the advice of your local mortgage specialist. Underestimating the importance of a high credit score Mortgage Lenders look at a variety of factors when evaluating an applicant for a home loan. One's credit score is high on the list of the most important factors that a lender will consider. First time homebuyers should not underestimate the importance of building strong credit and a high FICO score leading up to one's first home purchase. All mortgage lending is done with a tier of interest rates and terms based on consumer credit scores. A credit score of 720 or above will earn you the best rates and can potentially save you thousands of dollars. A score of 680 to 720 can get you good mortgage rates, while a FICO score of 620 is usually about the lowest score to qualify for most loans. Not getting Pre Approved early enough in the Home Purchase process Getting pre-approved for a mortgage should be job number one early on in the home buying process for first time homebuyers. We find that many first time home buyers wait until they have already begun house hunting before they come and see us says mortgage loan officer Stephen Khan. We believe that it is never to early to set up a meeting with a mortgage specialist to have a buyer consultation in order to prepare for a home purchase. Some buyers may need to spend up to a year saving more money for a down payment, lowering debt, or cleaning up their credit score before making any offer to purchase a home. A buyer consultation should include creating financial goals for the home buyer that puts them on the path to making that first home purchase. Once the buyer is financially ready then getting pre-approved before looking for homes is mandatory. Not having money saved for a down payment and closing costs While there are still several low down payment avenues available to first time homebuyers with FHA loans being among the most popular, first time homebuyers still need to have money saved for their down payment and closing costs. "We see borrowers all of the time who come to us late in the home buying process with little to no money saved for their desired home purchase" says Stephen Khan, a local mortgage loan officer. "We advise our home buyers of the programs available to them and the down payment and closing costs required of each program in order to educate them and facilitate their financial planning" says Khan. For FHA loans that have down payment requirements of 3.5% of the home's purchase price buyers will also have to come up with 1 - 3% of the mortgage loan amount depending on the loan size to cover closing costs on a home purchase. "We can't say it enough that we want home buyers to come to us early on in the home buying process knowing that everyone's financial situation is different and requires different financial planning solutions" says Khan. "If they work with us we will place them on the path that will lead our first time homebuyers to purchasing their first home", says Khan. Photo courtesy of Scott ChanIf you enjoyed this article please consider sharing it on your social networks. We would appreciate it! Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Mesa, Arizona Home Prices for January 2015

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 23:00:04 -0800

Real estate market data for Mesa, Arizona provided by Stephen Khan of Guaranteed Rate Home Loans As we move in to the Spring buying season our local Realtor partners are noticing more Buyer traffic and activity in the Mesa real estate market. The number of listings are down from the previous month but the days on market are slightly up. Mortgage rates are near all-time lows meaning that buyers can afford more home now than they could just one year ago. These low mortgage rates will not last long due to the strong employment numbers over the past three months released by the Labor Department. For these reasons we encourage those looking to buy to start their home search now to take advantage of these positive buyer market conditions. The median listing price for single family homes in Mesa is $248,436. The median sales price in January for single family homes was $208,911. The days on market for homes in Mesa was up slightly to 108 days, up from 97 in December. Home values in Mesa were up 2.9% on an annual basis and they are projected to rise 3.6% over the next 12 months. The median rent in Mesa is $1,090 which is higher than many of our new buyers and mortgage clients are getting pre-approved for on their mortgage payments. Learn more about the Mesa area by reading our Mesa Community profile To locate a Realtor who specializes in the Mesa area call me directly and we can provide you with several Realtor referrals. Or, visit our website, complete the contact form and we will reach out to you with names of established and knowledgeable Realtors that know the Mesa market well. We also recommend that you get pre-approved for a mortgage before beginning your search for a home. Contact me to schedule a free mortgage consultation so we can provide you guidance on rates, payment, and how much home you can afford. Visit our website and complete the contact form or call me directly at 480 788-0832. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Tempe, Arizona Home Prices for January, 2015

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Sat, 14 Feb 2015 03:00:01 -0800

Real estate market data for Tempe, Arizona provided by Stephen Khan of Guaranteed Rate Home Loans As we move in to the Spring buying season our local Realtor partners are noticing more Buyer traffic and activity in the Tempe real estate market. The number of listings are up from the previous month but the days on market are also slightly up. Mortgage rates are near all-time lows meaning that buyers can afford more home now than they could just one year ago. These low mortgage rates will not last long due to the strong employment numbers over the past three months released by the Labor Department. For these reasons we encourage those looking to buy to start their home search now to take advantage of these positive buyer market conditions. The median listing price for single family homes in Tempe is $274,900. The median sales price in January for single family homes was $242,474. The days on market for homes in Tempe was up slightly to 108 days. Home values in Tempe were up 3.8% on an annual basis and they are projected to rise 3.8% over the next 12 months. The median rent in Tempe is $1,133 which is higher than many of our new buyers and mortgage clients are getting pre-approved for on their mortgage payments. Learn more about the Tempe area by reading our Tempe community profile To locate a Realtor who specializes in the Tempe area call me directly and we can provide you with several Realtor referrals. Or, visit our website, complete the contact form and we will reach out to you with names of established and knowledgeable Realtors that know the Tempe market well. We also recommend that you get pre-approved for a mortgage before beginning your search for a home. Contact me to schedule a free mortgage consultation so we can provide you guidance on rates, payment, and how much home you can afford. Visit our website and complete the contact form or call me directly at 480 788-0832. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Chandler, Arizona Real Estate Market Update for January, 2015

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 13 Feb 2015 03:00:03 -0800

Real estate market data for Chandler, AZ provided by Stephen Khan of Guaranteed Rate Home Loans As we move in to the spring buying season our local Realtor partners are noticing more Buyer traffic and activity in the Chandler real estate market. The number of listings are up from the previous month but the days on market is also slightly up. Mortgage rates are near all-time lows meaning that buyers can afford more home now than they could only months ago. These low rates will not last due to the strong employment numbers over the past three months released by the Labor Department. For these reasons we encourage those looking to buy a home to start their home search now and take advantage of these positive buyer market conditions. To learn more about Chandler, Arizona click here to read our Chandler Community profile Home prices in Chandler, AZ in terms of the median listing price for single family homes are $334,900. The median sales price in January for single family homes was $249,400. The days on market for homes in Chandler was up slightly to 87 days. Home values in Chandler were up 2.3% on an annual basis and they are projected to rise 3.1% over the next 12 months. The median rent in Chandler is $1,295 which is a higher payment than the payment many of our new buyers and mortgage clients are getting pre-approved for on their mortgage pre-approvals. To locate a Realtor who specializes in the Chandler area call me directly and we can provide you with several Realtor referrals. Or, visit our website here, complete the contact form and we will reach out to you with names of established and knowledgeable Realtors that know the Chandler market well. Home prices in Chandler, AZ will continue to rise so don’t delay too long before starting a home search. We also recommend that you get pre-approved for a mortgage before beginning your search for a home. Contact me to schedule a free mortgage consultation so we can provide you guidance on rates, payment, and how much home you can afford. Visit our website here and complete the contact form or call me directly at 480 788-0832. If you like this content we kindly ask you to share it socially with your followers. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Not Refinancing Costs Homeowners Thousands in Interest Savings

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 03:17:13 -0800

Not Refinancing Costs Homeowners Thousands in Interest Savings over the Life of their Home Loan Homeowners that could stand to benefit greatly from a mortgage refinance are still not refinancing their home loans in the numbers that one would expect given today’s low rates. While mortgage applications are up in the most recent quarter the numbers still do not reflect a large percentage of eligible borrowers who could benefit from a refinance coming forward to do so. A recent Bankrate report notes that many homeowners are not aware of their interest rates even though they might say that they know their mortgage interest rate. Most consumers the report noted obtain a mortgage and then “we sweep the rate under the rug and we don’t worry about it”. According to the report, 65% of homeowners are very confident they know their mortgage rates. That figure is probably too high compared with the reality of the percentage of homeowners who actually know their rate. By not refinancing a high rate mortgage in to a lower rate mortgage homeowners are missing out on a “lifetime decision” that could save them thousands in interest, potentially shorten the term of their mortgage and by doing so set them up to be better prepared for retirement. Not Refinancing costs homeowners thousands in interest savings, and why homeowners who should refinance choose not to do so is also discussed in a recent working paper done by University of Chicago and Brigham Young University economists for the National Bureau of Economic Research. In the research paper, appropriately titled “Failure to Refinance” economists noted that “In December 2010, approximately 20 percent of households that appeared unconstrained to refinance and were in a position in which refinancing would have been beneficial had failed to do so”. There were several reasons given for borrowers not refinancing with most of them being insignificant enough not to take advantage of the low interest rate “gift” the mortgage market gave to borrowers at that time. Not refinancing costs homeowners thousands in interest savings and real estate professionals believe that probably more and better education of the refinance benefits would lead more eligible homeowners to begin the refinance process. Why don’t more homeowners who can and should refinance choose not to do so? As mentioned earlier, many homeowners simply don’t know their mortgage rate and as a result simply forget about it and don’t even realize they can benefit from refinancing their mortgage. Another reason cited in the report is that “there may be information barriers regarding potential benefits and costs of refinancing the economists wrote and added that psychological factors, such as procrastination, mistrust and the inability to understand complex decisions may also be barriers to refinancing”. Not refinancing costs homeowners thousands in interest savings on their mortgage. Refinancing a 30 year fixed rate mortgage of $200,000 from 6.5% to 4.5% will save more than $80,000 in interest payments over the life of the loan. For a customer who wants to purchase a home, buyers should not underestimate how much todays lower rates helps them to get in to the home they might not have been able to afford even last year. For example, assuming a borrower wants to get in to a home and is comfortable with a monthly mortgage payment of $1,200 per month. If they were to have bought a home in an interest rate environment where rates were at 6% then they could afford a home valued only at $166,700. Using todays FHA mortgage rates on a 30 year fixed mortgage, that same buyer can afford a home valued at $222,600 using todays prevailing rate of $3.5%. As one can see, today’s low mortgage rates and the decisions homeowners make in regards to taking advantage of the lower rates can have a profound effect on their financial lives. Our message to homeowners is to take full advantage of the interest rate environment that we are in now and do everything possible to lower your interest rate if you have a high interest rate mortgage. The dollar savings over one’s lifetime can be tremendous. To learn more about how to Refinance your home click here to visit our website to access our resources on the home financing process. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Mortgage Rates react to Strong January Jobs Report

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 03:25:16 -0800

Mortgage Rates react to strong January Jobs Report, interest rates move up on Friday’s report Friday’s employment report showed that the economy is surging and employers are showing their confidence by adding jobs at a record pace. The employment report issued on Friday by the Labor Department was the strongest report in months and is the most promising indicator yet that the economy might finally be showing some sustained growth. In Fridays report the Labor Department said that employers added a seasonally adjusted 257,000 jobs in January, but even more significant was a revision to November and December’s estimates. The employment numbers for November and December were revised upward to add 147,000 jobs to the numbers previously released for these months. This means that since November 1st employers have hired more than 1 million new workers which is the best performance over a three-month period since 1997. In addition, more jobs were created by the economy in 2014 in total than in any year since 1999. The Unemployment rate ticked higher to 5.7% which economists attribute to an increase in the size of the workforce with more people confident of their prospects in the job market and choosing to look for work in this stronger environment. Many of the folks re-entering the job market had previously given up their job search as employers chose not to hire in large numbers. Mortgage rates react to strong January jobs report by surging upwards by as much as 0.50% last week led by a mini burst on Friday after the Labor Department released its report. Mortgage rates are still at all-time lows for the most part but the best deals went to those who reacted quickly on the markets earlier moves downward. For those undecided on whether to refinance their high rate mortgage or trying to determine if now is the right time to purchase, Fridays report is a strong indication that if this string of positive jobs reports continues the Fed may choose to raise mortgage rates sometime soon. Our conclusion is that now is a great time to refinance a high rate mortgage or purchase a home. Realtors React to the Economic News The Realtors we spoke with over the weekend who are aware of the news are reacting by using the employment report as a reason to reach out to their prospects that may have been on the fence about buying a home. With rates trending upward following Fridays Labor Department announcement, Realtors should take this opportunity to communicate with their clients who are undecided about buying a home now that if the economy continues to show sustained growth, mortgage rates will trend upward and they may be able to afford less home than they could when rates were at their lowest. Now is the time for potential home buyers to get out in to the market and find that home to buy before this “gift” of low rates that the mortgage market has given us over the past 60 days goes away. Realtors do yourself and your clients a favor by using this news to reach out to your prospects to let them know what is going on in the broader economy and how that translates to your local real estate market. Learn more about refinancing by visiting our website here Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Chandler, AZ Community Profile: Top Ten Safest Cities in the Nation

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 04:00:00 -0800

The Movoto Real Estate Blog recently named Chandler, Arizona one of its top ten safest cities in America on its real estate blog. The cities were chosen based on data sourced from a government crime report and presented in a top ten form for easy consumption. This information is useful to home shoppers because a neighborhoods crime statistics are at the top of the list of concerns for folks buying in a particular neighborhood. The folks at the Movoto Real Estate Blog used data from the 2014 FBI Uniform Crime Report and they used this data to rank the cities based on the following criteria: * Murders * Rapes * Robberies * Assaults * Burglaries * Thefts * Vehicle Thefts According to the folks at the Movoto Real Estate blog they compiled the data as follows: “We only looked at the 100 largest cities for this particular ranking. In order to fairly compare places with a wide range of population sizes, we calculated all of these crime rates based on crimes per capita (per person). We ranked each place with a score from one to 100 in every criteria, with scores closer to one being safer”. When it was all said and done Chandler ranked sixth on the list behind East Valley Arizona neighbor Gilbert, AZ and behind the number one city in last year’s ranking Irvine, CA. Chandler had the fourth lowest murders per capita, the ninth lowest violent crime and a very low number of robberies. Chandler has always been at the top of similar types of crime statistics rankings and is known as a family friendly and safe place to call home. The Chandler area has a City government that believes in building a strong community foundation with lots of input from community leaders and residents who care to have a voice. Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Harlem Globetrotters coming to Town this Saturday at Phoenix US Airways arena

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 12:54:01 -0800

Our pick for fun family event this weekend is the annual February visit to Phoenix of the Harlem Globetrotters. If you have never seen their "basketball show" before then this is a must see for the entire family.Their tricks will amaze you and the skits and comedy bits all in the middle of a "basketball game" against the Washington Generals will have the whole family laughing from the beginning to the end of the show. The Harlem Globetrotters will be at US Airways arena on Saturday, February 7th at 2:00 p.m. and again at 7:00 p.m. Enjoy the show! Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!

Arizona VA Lender explains Benefits of the VA Streamline Refinance IRRRL program

Steve Khan (Amerifirst Financial, Inc.) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 00:36:17 -0800

As an approved VA lender we are one of the largest providers of VA loans in the US. We as an Arizona VA lender love helping our Arizona Veterans and walking them through how to use their VA loan benefit. There are so many reasons why veterans should take advantage of the VA loan program and we walk you through some of the VA Streamline refinance options below. The VA Streamline refinance program, also known as the Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan, is a very popular program for veterans wishing to refinance their mortgage to a lower interest rate. Because this is a VA to VA low documentation loan, the IRRRL loans can typically be closed in a short period of time. As an active Arizona VA lender, we can close VA Streamline loans rather quickly and for this reason along with the benefits listed below, veterans flock to the IRRRL program when they are ready to refinance. 1. The IRRRL loan requires no credit check for borrowers in most cases though some lenders might impose an overlay on their VA IRRRL loans that require a borrower’s credit to be pulled. Check with your local mortgage lender to verify their specific requirements. 2. The IRRRL loan requires no appraisal for borrowers in most cases. But just like the credit check requirement above verify with your lender specifically to make sure they follow the VA guidelines or they impose their own program overlays. 3. The IRRRL loan allows borrowers to pay a lower funding fee than they would pay under other VA loan options. The fee is normally 0.5% of the loan amount and it can be added to the loan balance. 4. The IRRRL loan offers very competitive VA mortgage interest rates for veterans wishing to refinance. VA loans have some of the lowest delinquency rates in the mortgage industry and in return for our veterans making their mortgage payments on-time the VA offers veterans very competitive interest rates on their home mortgages. 5. The IRRRL loan has no pre-payment penalty on this VA loan or any of the VA mortgage loans. Veterans wishing to make periodic extra mortgage payments are encouraged to do so as often as they wish. These are some of the biggest reasons veterans love the IRRRL streamline refinance program and explains why this is the program of choice when veterans want to refinance their mortgage. When you have any questions regarding your VA Streamline refinance, choose an Arizona VA lender who does many VA loans and who knows the VA loan program very well. *Image courtesy of Stuart Miles Stephen KhanKHAN MORTGAGE TEAM ACADEMY MORTGAGE5304 E Southern Ave, Ste 101Mesa, AZ 85206Cell: (480) 365-8978 Residential Home Loans |FHA, VA, Conventional, Jumbo Loanswww.ViewOcotilloHomes.com Call Stephen Khan for an Honest explanation on Mortgage options for you or your Buyers. If nothing else, call me for a second opinion on a quote you may have received from another lender. We are a Mortgage Bank and as such our company is licensed to and we are able to lend in all 50 States!